Exterior Door Handles vs Hole in Window

[71GSSDemon]

Does anyone have real world aero experience on removing the exterior door handles on a 60's car and having a hole in the side window to open a handle mounted up high where the factory vent window originally was?  I see most all drag cars are going to this style.  There is a 4-5" hole and a handle mounted high on the top of the door where the vent window pivot would be.  It seems to me there would be a reduction in drag, but the hole could negate that.  I don't really know.  Thoughts?

PS..I have been planning to do this to both eliminate the exterior door handle but also make the interior handle easier to reach.  Right now the factory handle is really close to the roll cage door bars.

[Stainless1]

Whatever you do, just make sure it is within the rules.... I'm not currently a door car guy, our Abarth already had flush handles so we didn't have to address that issue... 
read the book and carry on.... 

[29Sleeper]

Might depend on the class. Production class would probably require them to stay in place.
I'd be tempted to weld in some flush mount handles from a later car making it more intuitive for the doors to be opened by track crew in an emergency.
Detroit has been chasing aero for years to bring up the CAFE numbers. Flush handles, covered gas caps, removing the drip rails, etc.

[71GSSDemon]

thanks guys.  For production classes, yes, factory handles would be needed.  I believe as long as it is labeled it would be ok.  Drag cars have been using this style for a long time.  Even certain classes require it as they can get a fire extinguisher in to the cockpit faster.  Just wondering what the hole does there aero wise vs a factory exposed handle.

[SPARKY]

that's why they make wind tunnels  so you can check such things  boils down to shape and size of the door handle and the shape and size of the hole 

[MRK]

thanks guys.  For production classes, yes, factory handles would be needed.  I believe as long as it is labeled it would be ok.  Drag cars have been using this style for a long time.  Even certain classes require it as they can get a fire extinguisher in to the cockpit faster.  Just wondering what the hole does there aero wise vs a factory exposed handle.

Not to pick the fly shit out of the pepper but, Gas Coupe and Altered classes in the Modified category require stock door handles as well. 

[71GSSDemon]

This is only a concern when thinking you can break a record, now?